Lab result de-identification is the removal of all 18 HIPAA Safe Harbor IDs (45 CFR §164.514(b)) from the file. anonym.plus runs it on your device. The values stay readable, but no patient is named.
When this applies
A panel of results feeds an analytics test. The numbers can stay, yet the name, the dates, and the accession number have to come out first.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file (PDF, CSV, or scan) on your machine.
- Local OCR reads scanned pages, so printed text is caught.
- The tool flags names, dates, IDs, and contact lines.
- Review each flag and keep the analyte values.
- Swap each ID for a token, or delete it.
- Save the clean file. The source stays on your disk.
What you need to provide
- The file (PDF, CSV, DOCX, or image scan).
- An operator: Replace (swap), Redact (remove), or Mask (partial).
- Optional: a name map for repeat panels.
PHI entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Yusuf Demir → [PATIENT_1] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | Drawn 03/30/2026 → [DATE] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | MRN 198332 → [MRN] |
| Order | ID | Accession L-77640 → [ACCESSION] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | y.demir@mail.test → [EMAIL] |
| Identifiers | US_SSN | 078-05-1120 → [SSN] |
Compliance achieved
- Strips all 18 ID classes for HIPAA Safe Harbor (45 CFR §164.514(b)).
- Runs offline, so the tool itself needs no BAA.
- Working files are kept safe with AES-256-GCM.
- Handles GDPR Art. 9 health data for EU patients too.
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Limitations & cautions
The tool clears the 18 ID types. A single odd value plus a tiny area could still hint at a person. You weigh that. For high-risk sets, use Expert Determination.
Frequently asked questions
Are reference ranges and values kept?
Yes. Those are clinical numbers, not patient IDs. They stay in place so the panel still reads the way the lab issued it.
Does this work on a delimited export?
Yes. The app reads CSV columns too. It flags the ID fields per row so a whole table can be cleaned in one pass.
What about the ordering provider's details?
Names, phones, and addresses in the footer are flagged like any field. You choose whether to keep or hide the provider line.